Diablo 3 - Closed Beta Begins

Blizzard Entertainment on Tuesday announced that closed beta testing for its highly-anticipated Diablo III action RPG has begun, as the title enters the "final stages of development."

Not only will the closed beta plant the seed for future marketing buzz among the series' most loyal fan base, but it will also give Blizzard important player feedback on the game's development, including stability and hardware input.

The English-only closed beta will allow players to play through Act I of the game in single-player or cooperatively as any of the five hero classes, which include barbarian, witch doctor, wizard, monk and demon hunter. The Act leads to an encounter with the Skeleton King.